Author Notes
It makes a great side with just about any protein. We’ve had it with fish, chicken, steak and I even served it up for lunch with a fried egg on top and salad on the side. It satisfies our warm, comfort-food cravings and my husband’s gluten-free diet. —eat-drink-garden
Ingredients
-
1
head cauliflower
-
1/8 cup
half & half
-
1 tablespoon
butter
-
splash
of cooking liquid
-
salt & pepper, taste for seasoning
-
1/2 cup
walnuts
-
1/2 cup
grated Parmesan cheese
-
1 pinch
cayenne pepper
-
1
garlic clove
-
1 teaspoon
olive oil
Directions
-
Cut the florets off the stem of the cauliflower head and boil them in very salty water until soft (stab them with a fork to check), about 15 minutes.
-
Drain the florets, reserving some of the liquid, and place them in a baking dish (a pretty pie plate is the perfect size).
-
Mix in the half and half, the butter, nutmeg and the splash of cooking liquid.
-
Mash with a fork until it’s a creamy consistency similar to mashed potatoes.
-
Season with salt and pepper.
-
Continue to use the fork to spread the cauliflower mixture to create a consistent level.
-
Turn on your broiler.
-
Chop the walnuts and garlic clove until mealy with a sharp knife and combine with the Parmesan, cayenne, garlic and olive oil.
-
Sprinkle evenly over the cauliflower layer.
-
Broil for 5 minutes on the lower third rack of the oven until the top is crispy and golden brown.
I produce the Santa Barbara based blog Eat Drink Garden. The inspiration for every meal, for every cocktail, and for every blog entry is from my garden. I learned a few years ago that if you choose seasonal fruits and vegetables, you don't need to do too much to them in order to make them beautiful and delicious every time.
See what other Food52ers are saying.